


Frontiers

by Fumm95



Series: Frontiers-verse [1]
Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shepard's background, F/M, Shepard as Rahna, Shepard at BAaT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-17 23:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4684496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fumm95/pseuds/Fumm95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Instead of Rahna, it was Shepard who was Kaidan’s friend at BAaT training, who had been hurt by Vyrnnus, and frightened by Kaidan’s violent response. But instead of backing down once she returned to Earth, she decided to face her demons. Instead, she trained in strength, and joined the military to protect everyone who can’t protect themselves, saving everyone at Elysium and becoming a war hero who catches the attention of several key members of the Alliance and is put forth as a candidate for the first human Spectre.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Normandy SR-1.

Elianna Shepard gripped her bag a little tighter as she approached the airlock. According to the message she had received about her transfer, she was early, but if everything she heard about Captain Anderson was true, he was already on board and getting to know the new members of his crew. Which included her. As the new XO.

And, if rumors proved to be true, with a Spectre joining them. A  _turian_  Spectre.

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and focusing her attention away from the past. She could do this. This was no Jump Zero. She was no longer at Brain Camp. She had come so far since then. And if she could rise to the rank of Commander, could save Elysium, then she could deal with having a turian Spectre on board the Normandy. It wasn’t like every turian was just like Vyrnnus.

Unsurprisingly, the ship was already teeming with activity as she stepped aboard, with crew members rushing about to finish the final checks before takeoff. After all, the shakedown cruise for the prototype deep scout frigate would have many hopes riding on it… and even more people watching, eager to see the results of the human-turian co-developed ship. It would either illustrate the success of interspecies cooperation, or provide further evidence that the relationship with turians following the First Contact War was irreparable.

Everything relied on them.

Part of her still couldn’t believe that she was there, as Commander Elianna Shepard, the new executive officer of such an important shakedown run. That she was the same person who had shied away from any sign of violence, even at BAaT. The same person who had been frightened of Vyrnnus, and later of…

She shook her head. There was no use thinking of  _him_ , no use regretting her reactions in the past. There was nothing she could do about the pain she was sure she had caused him; she didn’t even know where he was, hadn’t thought to keep track of him after they were all allowed to return back to Earth.

Setting her shoulders resolutely, she pushed her way forward, though she took care to dodge the crewmen already rushing about. A loud, irreverent voice sounded from the front of the ship and she headed for the cockpit; even if Captain Anderson weren’t there, someone ought to be able to steer her in the right direction.

The source of the rant – waxing poetry on the experimental drive core, if she followed the technical terminology correctly – came from the bearded man who was presumably their pilot, lounging in the chair. Her lips twitched at the unnecessary addition of an SR-1 baseball cap perched on his head. And beside him…

Dropping her bag unceremoniously behind her, she snapped to attention as the man who could only be Captain Anderson turned his gaze to her. She barely restrained a wince at the thud from behind her – dammit, and after she had spent a few hours organizing everything, too – but the captain’s eyes were amused as he intoned, “At ease, Commander.”

She relaxed with a semi-sheepish smile as he gave her a quick rundown of their orders from Alliance High Command before offering her a tour of the ship. Hauling her duffel behind her, she accompanied him through the CIC and towards the crews’ quarters.

They were moving towards the medical bay when she felt it – the slight thrum of energy that indicated another biotic was nearby. Her attention faltered. It wasn’t entirely unexpected for an Alliance vessel that was clearly designed for covert operations and dangerous missions, but the  _familiarity_  of it…

“Captain!”

She froze; she could recognize that voice anywhere, even after a dozen years, even if the circumstances of their friendship, or whatever it was that they shared, felt like they had occurred a lifetime ago.

“At ease, lieutenant. I was just showing our new XO around. Have you had a chance to meet Commander Shepard?”

“I- Elianna?” Her name came out as a strangled gasp.

She turned around slowly, holding her breath. He had grown, filled out with the training he’d received since their time at BAaT. Just as she was no longer the scared, defenseless girl, he was no longer the lanky, somewhat awkward teen who had been her protector, but she could still find the boy she had known in the planes of his face, his dark hair. The warm, amber eyes, wide with shock and disbelief and something else entirely.

“Kaidan.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaidan meets his new executive officer, who turns out to be no stranger after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any glaring errors; I wrote most of this while operating on one hour of sleep and a cup of coffee. While I've definitely made changes, something may have slipped my notice.

When he had first started hearing the stories about Commander Shepard, the Hero of Elysium, Kaidan had assumed that it was someone else. After all, Shepard wasn’t that uncommon of a last name, was it? And, if he recalled correctly, in those conversations before lights out back at Brain Camp, _she_ had talked about her family, had mentioned siblings and cousins.

No, it couldn’t have been _her_ who had joined the Alliance, who had saved Elysium and been awarded the Star of Terra.

But it was.

Up close, it was impossible to not recognize her; he was almost ashamed that it had taken until Anderson introduced her to realize who she was.

Still, she had changed from the girl he remembered. At Jump Zero, she had always seemed quiet, angelic, with her long hair and gentle eyes. She hadn’t been helpless – the fact that she had held out at Brain Camp until it was shut down was enough indication of that – but she _had_ been more than willing to acquiesce, to leave challenging authority to other, more brash, individuals. Like him.

The Elianna Shepard in front of him was far different. Her blond hair was kept shorter and unstyled, much more practical for a military lifestyle. Though she would always be willowy, she had clearly gained muscle from Alliance training… which was to be expected considering she had been given the prestigious N7 designation. And her eyes were no longer soft and scared, but blue steel, glittering with determination.

But her voice… It was certainly older, more mature – more capable, perhaps – but it was still _her_ voice. Still with the same sweetness, the familiar lilt as she said his name, all warmth and something more.

“You two know each other?”

Kaidan opened his mouth but hesitated. It was clear Captain Anderson was probing for information about their past, but he wasn’t even sure how to describe it. Friendship? Something more? Hell, did anything more than acquaintance get canceled out by what he did to Vyrnnus and the ensuing years?

Elianna – Commander Shepard, now – beat him to answering, her voice as collected as if she were discussing the weather. “The lieutenant and I were both at Biotic Acclimation and Temperance training together, sir. It’s been a long time, Alenko. I hope you’re doing well.”

He blinked, both envious and wondering at her calmness, at the cool formality of her reply. As though they had been fellow students and nothing more. As though their friendship, the intimacy between them, had been a figment of his imagination.

Not that it mattered anyway. Not anymore.

He shook himself, plastering a smile to his face to match Shepard’s bland one. “Yes, fine, thank you, Commander. Captain, any word on what our mission is?”

Anderson looked about as unconvinced as his expression felt, but let the matter slide, for which he was infinitely thankful.

“A quick run to Eden Prime, lieutenant.” The dismissal in the answer was clear, and he let them move into the medbay, where he suspected Doctor Chakwas had some sort of physical prepared.

A twinge in his temple reminded him of his own business with the doctor, but he hesitated to join them, to make more awkward conversation with a woman who seemed to have moved on entirely from their shared past. A woman that he could hardly recognize, at least in terms of personality.

Kaidan dropped into a chair at the mess hall, scrubbing one hand down the front of his face in a futile attempt to keep the headache at bay. Of all the places he had expected to run into Elianna again, serving aboard the Normandy had to have been at the bottom of the list. He supposed part of it was his fault; following their return from Brain Camp, he had been left in a messed up place, cutting off as many ties from his past as he could. He definitely hadn’t even thought to keep in touch with his friends from his time at BAaT, and especially not her. And by the time he had gotten things under control and joined the Alliance, he had assumed that everyone else had just gone off to do their own thing. 

That Elianna had also joined the Alliance had never even occurred to him.

He muffled a groan with his palm, ignoring the throbbing in his head – yet another thing that his biotic implant had permanently left – and wondered if it was too late to grab Jenkins and hit up a bar; he was fairly certain he’d need it for the upcoming mission.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elianna must lead the ground team on Eden Prime to pick up the Prothean beacon, but all goes wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the weekly updates continue, but school starts up in a little over a week, so after chapter 4, the output speed will likely be slowing down a ton.

The idea that anyone thought she was Spectre material was ridiculous. The idea that, of all people, a  _turian_  put her name forward was almost enough to make Elianna laugh in front of both Captain Anderson and the turian in question.

Still, it was nice to know that she wasn’t just being paranoid when she felt like she was running into Nihlus everywhere. She hadn’t wanted to think that it was just a general distrust of all turians which had made her feel that way; as far as she was concerned, there was no place for xenophobia within the Alliance, and especially within her own beliefs while acting as the XO of a ship designed with interspecies cooperation in mind.

Which, of course, made it all the more ironic that, as far as she knew, another turian spectre, Saren, had killed Nihlus, most likely with some nefarious plan in the works, and she’d likely have to face him in the future.

It was almost like the universe wanted to make a really shitty joke out of her life.

She’d appreciate it better if it didn’t involve people getting killed under her command. The fact that she was told to take Kaidan and the overeager Corporal Jenkins with her made it worse; she knew Kaidan had considered Jenkins a friend and she herself had witnessed the young man’s excitement for space exploration and action. And his very first mission had gotten him killed.

That it could easily have been Kaidan who died instead just made the whole situation worse.

She glanced over at him as he carefully manned the perimeter with their new squad member, Ashley. He actually seemed more relaxed around the gunnery chief than he was around her, a fact that she tried to convince herself didn’t sting.

Then again, she supposed she couldn’t blame him. If she were in his shoes, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to forgive herself for what happened. Perhaps she ought to consider herself lucky that he’d even follow her in the first place. After all, he had proven himself capable of incredible feats of biotics even when they were both still teenagers…

Though it was strange that he tended to avoid using biotics when fighting. In fact, the only time she could remember him even using a throw on their mission was when there was no other way of cutting through the geth juggernaut’s armor. Of course, the L2 implants tended to leave severe side-effects on their users – a fact she knew only all too well – but it had never stopped him from being the top biotic at BAaT; that he managed to down a fully trained turian at eighteen was proof enough.

Then again, considering she tended to completely ignore her biotics during combat, focusing primarily on weapon training, she could just be a raging hypocrite for even realizing such a thing. She wasn’t the only person to have emerged from Brain Camp with scars and, hell, it wasn’t like she had actually killed anybody, even in self-defense. And it wasn’t like anyone had turned their backs on her after it was all said and done.

No, she couldn’t blame him, not one bit. Not for avoiding his biotics, not for being uncomfortable around her, and certainly not for getting along well with the other person in their little team, the one who didn’t bring back painful memories from his past.

Honestly, she half-expected him to request for a transfer as soon as their mission was over, now that he knew who his executive officer was. She wouldn’t blame him for that either.

“Commander!”

Thankful for the interruption to her thoughts, Elianna looked up, assault rifle at the ready, but Williams waved her down. “The coast is clear, Commander. I think that’s the beacon, there.”

Well, at least there was one thing that didn’t go wrong. She relaxed, bringing Joker up on the radio with instructions to pick them and the beacon up, Williams included. With the ground team down a man from losing Jenkins, having Ashley join would work out nicely, and she’d already proven herself more than capable, in more than just combat.

She smiled as the woman walked over after examining the beacon, clearly with a question on her lips. “Don’t worry. Just stay here. The Normandy is en route to the spaceport as we speak. Should be just a few min-“

A whine of something powering up cut her off and she whipped around.

The beacon.

_Kaidan._

Shit.

She didn’t realize she had moved until she was mid-leap, catching him around the waist and  _throwing_  him out of the beacon’s range. Her body tensed as her muscles screamed at the long unused mnemonic, as pain tore through her nerves. As the beacon’s pull caught her, overpowering her struggles.

“Shepard!” There was concern in Kaidan’s shout but she couldn’t turn, couldn’t respond as images flashed through her vision. The whining grew louder, filling everything around her, resonating through her body. It was overpowering, seemingly endless, as the visions increased in speed, faster than she could understand them, leaving only pulsing pain in their wake.

She forced her eyes open, tried to focus on the ruined land that once was Eden Prime, but still the images remained, relentless, as screams caught in her paralyzed throat.

It was all  _too much_ , until with a final burst of light, of  _painangerfear_ , her world exploded.

Gentle hands turned her onto her back. She dimly registered worried amber eyes and a tremulous whisper of her name, “Elianna?” before she lost her precarious grip on consciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission on Eden Prime goes horribly wrong and Kaidan can only watch, consumed with guilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up that I will be starting school next Monday, and therefore this will likely be the last of the weekly updates. Sorry, guys!

Watching Elianna Shepard in action had to be one of the strangest things Kaidan had ever witnessed. The capable woman was a far cry from the tender-hearted girl from his past. She commanded attention, moving and speaking with an assurance that he found himself envying.

Similarly, her control in combat was a side of her he had never seen. Instead of staying in the back lines, in positions of relatively safety, she took the geth head-on, barely flinching as bullets punched into her armor or whizzed right by her, grazing skin on multiple occasions. She didn’t seem to notice her injuries as the metal creatures fell in twisted contortions, the bullets from her assault rifle expertly exploiting weak points.

It was awe-inspiring.

It was like following a stranger.

And yet… she had stopped when Jenkins fell, given him a moment to mourn, and reassured him, with a distantly familiar look of concern and sympathy, that the corporal would be remembered and receive a proper service. A touch of his shoulder was at once a comfort and a reminder to focus. She withdrew her hand almost immediately and he nodded at her as he snapped off a “Yes, ma’am” and turned his attention back to their surroundings.

His skin tingled, even under the armor.

Elianna – Commander Shepard – suddenly burst into a sprint as they crested a hill and he chased after her with a muffled curse. _Focus_.

At the bottom of the hill, a figure threw herself against a large boulder in a blur of white and pink just as Shepard tore down the slope to join her. Bullets rent through the air, slamming the air out of his chest, but she didn’t falter. Already, she was retaliating, squeezing off quick shots between waves of fire.

Even before the last geth fell with the crashing of metal on dirt, the dark-haired woman turned to them. “Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here, ma’am?”

Just as quickly as the fight ended, Shepard’s persona shifted again, all compassion and understanding as she gently probed Williams for more information about the beacon and the attack, coaxing out information without asking insensitive questions.

Kaidan stayed silent, scanning their surroundings for threats as the women talked, though he couldn’t help but listen to the conversation with one ear.

This was the Elianna he remembered. The one who could charm information out of anybody, whose consideration and thoughtfulness inspired loyalty in everyone who knew her.

The one who won the hearts of everybody around her.

It clearly had an effect on Williams, who accompanied them as they continued forward, shoulders resolute despite the chaos around them. It charmed information and supplies out of the various colonists they met, misgivings won over by her persuasive attitude.

His heart swelled with pride as she talked Ashley down from shooting the dockworker who had been smuggling supplies.

And other than the terse moment when they waited for any bombs they missed to explode, to take out the entire colony, the race to reach the beacon went smoothly.

It was larger than he had expected, rising well above their heads, pulsing with a faint energy that was beckoning, captivating.

Hearing Shepard calling for pick-up behind him, Kaidan stepped forward.

“It wasn’t doing anything like that when we found it,” Williams murmured.

He glanced at her as he moved closer. “Something must have activated it somehow.”

She shrugged, seeming satisfied with the answer and returned to Shepard’s side, but he frowned. What could have done that? And what did it mean for the beacon? Would it pass on secrets of the lost ages? Would it teach them wisdom and help them create new technology beyond what they could even imagine?

Around him, the humming grew louder as the beacon pulled at him, ensnaring him in a sudden surge of power, despite his struggle, until-

Something slammed into him, breaking his paralysis.

Elianna.

They fell, her arm looping around his waist, and he felt a familiar surge of biotic energy as she _threw_ him out of harm’s way.

Biotically enhanced, she was even stronger and he rolled as he hit the ground, gasping for breath after having the air knocked out of him.

But that meant…

“Shepard!” He scrambled to reach her, but Williams grabbed him, holding him back.

He glared at her but she refused to budge. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

He could only watch as her body was lifted into the air, spasming, caught in the throes of whatever she had saved him from. Could only watch as the energy grew stronger, faster, as the beacon seemed to vibrate with intensity.

A blast rent the air and he leapt forward, breaking free of Ashley’s restraining hold. Shepard had been thrown onto her side, curled up and unmoving. He hesitated, then reached out, cautiously rolling her onto her back.

“Elianna?” His voice came out as a whisper.

She didn’t respond and he cursed, quickly stripping off his gloves and turning his attention to hers, hands shaking enough to make the simple task nearly impossible.

“Do you know the commander well?”

Startled, Kaidan looked up.

Williams shrugged, though her face turned worried as she glanced at the unconscious body. “You said her name. ‘Elianna.’ It just seemed a little less formal, that’s all. Sorry if I’m prying.”

“Ah.” He lowered his gaze back to Shepard as trembling fingers checked for a pulse. “Biotic temperance and acclimation training. We were both there.”

The answer was the same that Shepard had said earlier, to Captain Anderson, and yet it felt wholly insufficient, hanging in the air awkwardly, buoyed by everything from their past that he was leaving out.

A quiet hum announced the arrival of the Normandy and he turned, thankful for the interruption.

Williams glanced at the ship and then back at Elianna. “We’ll have to get her to the medbay.”

He nodded and carefully picked her up. She was lighter than he expected for an Alliance soldier, even in the armor, and he frowned as he adjusted to make sure she wasn’t jostled more than she had to be.

“Do you need help?” Ashley hovered beside him, dark eyes full of concern.

Kaidan shook his head. “I got it.”

He barely remembered returning to the ship, other than the feel of her in his arms, at once too heavy and too light. Still, silent. Barely a sign she was still alive.

Dr. Chakwas, bless her, was already waiting when they staggered in, gentle, professional hands carefully helping them ease his burden onto a bed. She pursed her lips as she checked the readings and hurried out of the room.

He took a shaky breath as he stood by the bed, watching Elianna’s face.

Her eye were moving under deathly pale lids. That was a good sign, right?

“You care for her, don’t you, Alenko?” Williams’ voice was flat, more of a statement than a question. Not that he was really surprised; she had already shown herself to be observant during their run on Eden Prime. And he hadn’t exactly been subtle about his concern. Not when it was his fault.

Even so, he said nothing. He wasn’t even sure how to describe the true nature of his relationship with Commander Shepard, and especially not to someone he barely knew, even if he was starting to consider her a friend.

The room was quiet for a moment before he felt a supportive grip on his shoulder. “She’ll be fine. You’ll see. Just… make sure to get some rest. I’m sure she won’t appreciate you collapsing from exhaustion.”

His lips twisted into a grimace as Ashley left; Elianna probably wouldn’t even want him in the same room, once she awoke. If she awoke at all. Even if she didn’t avoid him from what happened at Brain Camp, having to save him from his own stupidity would definitely be enough to earn her distaste.

He glanced down at the still woman. She seemed smaller than ever, her blond hair in disarray, her face pale and unmoving. She seemed more like the girl he had always protected, instead of the soldier who had saved him.

Without thinking, he reached out to brush a stray hair off her forehead before he caught himself, clasping his hands together and settling in a chair to wait for her to wake up.

However long it took.

**Author's Note:**

> I blame fatally-procrastinating for this idea. Also, updates may be slow as I try to juggle everything I have to do.


End file.
